Information repertoires: media use patterns in various gratification contexts

Date09 October 2017
Pages1102-1118
Published date09 October 2017
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/JD-10-2016-0117
AuthorSei-Ching Joanna Sin,Pertti Vakkari
Subject MatterLibrary & information science,Records management & preservation,Document management,Classification & cataloguing,Information behaviour & retrieval,Collection building & management,Scholarly communications/publishing,Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance,Information management,Information & communications technology,Internet
Information repertoires: media
use patterns in various
gratification contexts
Sei-Ching Joanna Sin
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information,
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and
Pertti Vakkari
Faculty of Communication Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to identify prominent patterns of media use across six
media (e.g. television, social media, public libraries) and four gratification contexts (e.g. studying, leisure
activities), and second, to investigate whether media use patterns vary with six individual characteristics by
introducing the construct of information repertoire.
Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through an online questionnaire completed by
811 adult internet users in the USA. Latent class analysis (LCA), including latent class regression,
was performed to analyse the data.
Findings The study found eight information repertoire profiles. The user characteristics associated with
each profile, such as age, race and ethnicity, were identified. The profile with the most respondents was
characterised by heavy use of TV and the internet for everyday leisure activities. Overall, the eight profiles do
not show exclusive use of one or two media (such as a power-law pattern). However, the profiles do exhibit
patterned behaviour, in which respondents use the same configuration of media in two or more gratification
contexts. These findings suggest some level of gratification-based heuristic in media selection and use when
respondents face contexts they deem to be similar.
Originality/value In conceptual development, the study introduced the construct of information repertoire
to capture media use profiles that account for multiple media use across multiple contexts. Methodologically,
less-used LCA was applied, which allowed combining the 24 variables (6 media ×4 gratification contexts)
and the six demographic covariates in a single, unified analysis.
Keywords Public libraries, Information behaviour, Demographic differences, Gratification contexts,
Information source use, Media use patterns
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The rapid development of information communication technologies (ICT) has contributed to
the decentralisation of information provision and distribution and to the proliferation of new
media, channelsand information sources. (For the sake of brevity,the term media is hereafter
used to refer to all media, channels and information sources. The working definition of the
term is the agencythrough which information originates and communication takes place and
the ways in which information reaches receivers (Daniel and Rod, 2016a, b)). Individuals can
access information through a wide range of authoritative and crowd-sourced media. In this
shiftingmedia landscape, informed, user-centred policy planningand service delivery requires
understandingand identifying the media use profilesin various groups across multiplemedia
and contexts (Brandtzæg, 2010; Hasebrink et al., 2015).
Few studies, especially in the information science domain, have addressed the pattern of the
overall use of multiple media across contexts. Studies have generally focussed on particular
contexts, a specific user group or a narrow set of media. More media use profile studies have
been conducted in communication and media research. Even so, scholars have identified several
gaps in extant research. First, previous studies have tended to focus on a particular medium.
Journal of Documentation
Vol. 73 No. 6, 2017
pp. 1102-1118
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0022-0418
DOI 10.1108/JD-10-2016-0117
Received 2 October 2016
Revised 29 March 2017
Accepted 9 April 2017
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0022-0418.htm
This work was supported by the Nanyang Technological University (Grant No. M58061047).
1102
JD
73,6
Less attention has been given to patterns of use across a range of media. Most studies do not
account for the observation that components of media patterns are interrelated (Hasebrink and
Domeyer, 2012). Second, the conceptualisation of media use has tended to be broad and not
differentiate between the disparate activities for which individuals use a medium. Third,
analyses of user profiles tend to focus only on a few demographic characteristics
(Brandtzæg, 2010; Helles et al., 2015). These research gaps have prompted recent projects, such
as a European project on the media use patterns in nine countries (Helles et al., 2015).
An additional research gap not mentioned in the aforementioned reviews is that current
studies have tended to focus on mass media and new media (e.g. social media), but have not
included notable resources (e.g. public libraries). This lack can be partly attributed to differences
in disciplinary foci as most media use profile research has been conducted in the fields of
communication and media studies. Few such studies are designed with a library and information
science focus. Consequently, prominent resources that have been well recognised in information
behaviour research for example, trusted resources, such as public libraries (Chen and Hernon,
1982), and highly used resources, such as personal sources (Harris and Dewdney, 1994) have
been excluded from many media use profile studies. Overall, research that simultaneously covers
multiple media, contexts and user groups, such as Chen and Hernons (1982) study on the
information-seeking behaviours of residents from six New England states, are rare. Studies of
this nature that focus on developing profiles of usage patterns are rarer still.
In light of these research gaps, individualsmedia use patterns were investigated using
the proposed construct of information repertoire. The study will contribute in three aspects.
It will provide a more wide-ranging and nuanced approach to identify profiles: first, of
multiple media use; second, across multiple contexts, specifically, multiple gratification
contexts such as studying and leisure activities; and third, across diverse user groups.
Specifically, this study addressed two research questions:
RQ1. What are the patterns of media use among US adults across six media and four
gratification contexts?
RQ2. Are individuals with certain demographic characteristics more likely to exhibit
particular classes of media use patterns?
The study has conceptual, methodological and practical implications. In terms of conceptual
contributions, a construct that focusses on use patterns across multiple media and
gratification contexts was proposed and operationalized. Media use profiles and their
corresponding demographic covariates were identified. Regarding methods, latent class
analysis (LCA) was applied in this study instead of the more frequently used factor analysis
(FA) or cluster analysis. This study demonstrated the applicability of LCA, which could
encourage greater use of this versatile method and thereby expand the choice of analytical
techniques for media use profile research.
The results from this study will also extend knowledge of diverse usersgratification
profiles for various media, which can inform policy and information services planning.
Without such knowledge, the ability of policymakers, information providers, researchers
and educators to anticipate individual and community communication and information
needs, develop forward-looking information infrastructures, marshal public support for
quality information institutions, such as public libraries, and deliver effective services and
training serving the diverse preferences and needs of individuals will be hampered.
Literature review
Research on media use patterns
Media use studies have tended to focus on a specific media or purpose (Hasebrink and
Domeyer, 2012; Helles et al., 2015). When the relationship between two or more media has
1103
Information
repertoires

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT